Having demonstrated that by this theory a forest may be considered as an
organism, you think you have proved to the followers of the theory the
incorrectness of their definition? Not at all. Their definition of an
organism is so loose and plastic that they can apply it to everything
they like.
Yes, they will say, you may consider the forest, too, as an organism. A
forest is a mutual co-operation of the individuals who do not destroy
each other; an aggregate: its parts can also pass into a closer
relationship, and by differentiation and integration it may become an
organism.
Then you will say, that in that case, the birds too and the insects, and
the herbs of this forest, which mutually co-operate and do not destroy
each other, may be considered, with the trees, to be an organism. They
would agree to this, too. According to their theory, we may consider as
an organism every collection of living beings which mutually co-operate,
and do not destroy one another. You can establish a connection and
co-operation between everything you like, and, according to evolution,
you can assert that from anything may proceed anything else you like, if
a long enough period is granted.
To those who believe in the Trinity, it is impossible to prove that it
does not exist. But one can show them that their assertion is not based
on knowledge, but is an assertion of faith, and that if they assert that
there are three Gods, I have an equal right to assert that there are 17½
Gods. One may say the same thing with yet better ground to the followers
of Positive and Evolutional science. On the basis of this science one
could undertake to prove anything one liked. And the strangest thing of
all is, that this same Positive science regards the scientific method as
a condition of true knowledge, and that it has itself defined the
elements of the scientific method. It professes that common sense is the
scientific method. And yet common sense itself discloses the fallacies
of the doctrine at every step. The moment those who occupied the
position of saints felt there was no longer anything sacred in them,
that they are cursed like the Pope and our own Synod, they immediately
called themselves not merely sacred, but "most sacred." The moment
science felt that it had given up common sense, it called itself The
Science of Reason, The Only Really Scientific Science.
CHAPTER XXXI
"Division of Labour" is the law pervading everything that exists,
therefore it must exist in human societies too. That may be so; but the
question still remains, whether the existing division of labour in human
society is the division which ought to exist. And when men consider a
certain division of labour unreasonable and unjust, no science whatever
can prove to men that what they consider unreasonable and unjust ought
to continue.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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